Wipe dispensing system

ABSTRACT

A thin profile wipe dispensing container is provided for dispensing wipes from the edge of a stack of wipes. The dispensing container has a contoured shape to minimize shelf space and integrate with any space and includes an angled container body and hinged lid that snaps shut. The lid is flush with the container body when closed providing the thin profile wipe dispensing container that may easily and economically be used, stored and transported. The container body may further include a removable bridge in an open mouth of the container body with a dispensing aperture through which the wipe may be drawn. The container body may also include a spring device for maintaining the position of the wipes within the dispensing container to help dispense one wipe at a time.

This application is a continuation in part of prior application Ser. No. 10/803,353, filed Mar. 19, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a packaging system for wipes and more particularly to a thin profile wipe dispensing container with improved storage and dispensing features.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pre-moistened disposable towelettes or wipes were developed out of a need for convenience where water may not be available. Wipes may be used on a variety of target surfaces in the home and business. A user may easily and conveniently hand wipe over a target surface using the wipe to clean, polish or otherwise treat the target surface in some manner. As is well known in the art, a pre-moistened wipe can be any wipe, towel, tissue or sheet like product including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic material and combinations thereof, that is wet or moist or becomes wet during use or prior to use. The wipe may be saturated with an aqueous or other chemical based solution of a cleaning or other chemical agent. Preservatives and fragrances may also be added. Wipes may also be dry.

Wipes have been traditionally dispensed as a stack in sheet form from a tub-like container with a hinged lid on the top that overlaps the upper outer edge of the container when the lid is closed. The lid is opened and individual or singularized sheets of the wipes may be dispensed or unleaved from the planar surface of the stack of wipes. Wipes may also be stacked and packaged in a refill softpack. Another type of container that has been used for wipes includes a plastic canister in which the wipes are pulled from the center of a hollow coreless roll having perforated sheets through a flexible opening in the lid at the top of the canister in a direction that is parallel to the axis of the roll. These canisters generally have a snap top lid that is opened to expose a piece of the wipe through the flexible opening that can then be pulled out of the flexible opening to remove the desired amount of wipes. Once pulled out, the wipe can then be torn off, usually at a perforation, and the lid closed.

These wipe packaging methods have their shortcomings. For example, when packaged in the tub, the wipes have a tendency to dry out because of repeated lid openings and the lid's failure to completely reclose over repeated use. The tubs are bulky making transport and storage more difficult. Similarly, the wipes in softpacks dry out because the “peel and reseal” feature becomes less effective over time. Also in the case of stacked wipes, it is often difficult to separate a single wipe from the rest of the wipe stack and from the container. There are a number of reasons for this difficulty. Wipes are typically folded in a W or Z configuration and either placed one on top of the other (non-interfolded) or interleaved (interfolded) with an adjacent wipe and placed one on top of another to form a stack. There are numerous configurations for wipes. The leading edge, particularly when folded, may not be readily identifiable. Also, it may also be difficult for the user to grip a sufficient amount of the leading edge such that the leading edge portion of the wipe is torn without dispensing of a single wipe. There is also a tendency for the wipes to adhere to each other.

Rolled wipe logs suffer from similar shortcomings. Although rolled logs of wipes in canisters generally tend to stay wetter longer and occupy less shelf space than the tubs, the user cannot determine how many wipes are left on the log and they are particularly susceptible to mold because of non-uniform wetting and to “chaining” wherein more than one wipe is dispensed at a time through the flexible opening in the lid. If not used right away, the exposed wipe tends to dry out and is wasted. If the wipe is not drawn through the flexible opening, as in the case of starting the first wipe or one that has receded into the canister, a user may try to grasp the wipe through the flexible opening but usually cannot readily maneuver the wipe from inside the canister through the flexible opening. The user's finger often gets caught in the opening and the wipe remains inaccessible (a “dropping/trapping problem”). This failure necessitates complete removal of the entire canister lid in order to (again) draw the wipe through the flexible opening. In having to remove the entire lid, the dispensing feature of the wipe canister thereby becomes useless for its intended purpose and the entire roll of wipes is exposed to possible contamination and dries out faster. The wipes in a canister are also prone to wrinkling, twisting and bunching. In order to dispense the wipes from a canister, the canister must be upright which limits its use and storage possibilities. The cylindrical shape of the canister is also not that space efficient on shelves. In addition, the canister lids often wear out necessitating their disposal after one use and the two-piece construction (canister and lid) often means higher production costs. There have been several attempts to address these problems but none have been entirely successful.

Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel dispensing container and method that conveniently permit a single fresh wipe to be dispensed one at a time. There is also a need for a novel dispensing container and method that permit substantially easy access to the wipes within the container substantially without the danger of finger injury. There is another need for a novel dispensing container and method that may be used for both wet and dry wipes with substantially uniform wetting and substantially little wrinkling. There is still another need for a novel dispensing container and method that is substantially thin profile, substantially flat, lightweight, easy to stack, and occupies less space per volume of wipes enabling easier storage and transport. There is an additional need for a novel dispensing container and method that is substantially easier to produce. There is a still further need for a novel dispensing container and method that are convenient to use and simple to open and reclose. There is a still further need for a novel dispensing container and method that dispense wipes whether the container is positioned horizontally or vertically on a surface or within a drawer and that conveniently allow the user to determine how many wipes are left. There is also a need for a novel dispensing container and method that is easily refillable and reusable. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention and exemplary embodiments thereof described herein, a thin profile wipe dispenser is provided for use in storing and dispensing stacked wipes. The wipe dispenser comprises, generally, a thin-profile upright container body having an open end for receiving wipes. A lid is mounted on the open end of the container body and retained in place by a hinge or the like. When closed, the lid is substantially flush with the container body. The lid may include an internal bead for snap fit connection with the container body. The wipes may be accessed through a finger opening and drawn through a dispensing aperture in a removable bridge in the open end of the container body. The container body may include a spring to retain the wipes in an position to improve dispensing of one wipe at a time.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing container embodying the novel features of the invention, illustrating a container body with a lid in an open position to expose a bridge of a first configuration and defining an exemplary dispensing aperture;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the container body of the dispensing container of FIG. 1, illustrating a leaf spring within the container body and a lip for mating and sealing relation with an internal bead in the lid (not shown);

FIG. 3 is a front view of the novel dispensing container of FIG. 1, illustrating the lid in a closed and sealed position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the dispensing container of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the dispensing container of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4;

FIGS. 6 a-6 m is a top view of alternative configurations of the dispensing aperture for the bridge of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the bridge of FIG. 1 with a generally C-shaped configuration;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the bridge of FIG. 7, illustrating an exemplary dispensing aperture in a substantially central portion thereof; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of the bridge of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the bridge;

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the bridge of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a wipe dispensing container with the lid in an open position, illustrating the bridge of FIGS. 10 and 11 mounted on the open end of the container body;

FIG. 13 is a front view of the wipe dispensing container of FIG. 12, illustrating the wipe dispensing container with the bridge shown in dotted lines within the container and the lid in a closed position;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the wipe dispensing container of FIGS. 12 and 13, illustrating a stack of wipes within the container body and a wipe from an edge of the stack drawn through a dispensing aperture in the bridge;

FIG. 15 is a cutaway view of the container body and bridge of the wipe dispensing container of FIGS. 12-14, the right side being a mirror image thereof, illustrating the stack of wipes within the container body;

FIG. 16 is a view of a stack of exemplary interfolded Z-folded wipes;

FIG. 17 is a view of the stack of wipes of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a view of the stack of wipes of FIGS. 16-17, illustrating one of the wipes from the stack being pulled from the stack in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to an improved dispensing container, generally designated in the accompany drawings by the reference number 10. The method for dispensing is also provided. The improved dispensing container is specifically designed to have substantially improved storage and dispensing features over conventional wipe dispensers.

In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated with respect to preferred embodiments in FIGS. 1-18, the dispensing container 10 comprises, generally, a substantially thin-profile container body 12 having a generally upright and open-ended shape for receiving and containing a stack of wipes (not shown), a hinged lid 14 that may be pivoted open to provide access to the wipes and pivoted closed to be substantially flush with the container body 12, and a bridge 16 or 116 defining a dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m or 118 in combination with a finger opening 119. The dispensing container may further include a spring device 20 to maintain the wipes in a desirable dispensing position within the container body 12.

The container body 12 defines an upper open end 22 or mouth and has a bottom wall 24 joined to a front and a rear wall 26 and 28, and a pair of sidewalls 30. The front wall 26 may be shorter than the rear wall with the upper edges of the sidewalls extending angularly upwardly toward the rear wall. It is to be appreciated that the front wall may also be of substantially the same height as the rear wall. The container body 12 can be constructed to have virtually any convenient size and/or decoration with a capacity in the range of 10 to 100 ounces being common. The container body 12 may be constructed of a thermoformed material, molded plastic, a carton, one or more polymeric materials, metallized or laminate structures, lined paperboards, etc. to define a generally rectangular profile (See FIG. 4). Plastic is normally preferred because it eliminates the risk of breakage and is relatively lightweight.

The lid 14 has a top wall 32 joined to a front lid wall 34, and a pair of substantially triangular lid sidewalls 36. The free edges of the lid sidewalls 36 may extend angularly downwardly toward the front wall of the lid when in the closed position as shown in FIG. 4. The lid is typically constructed from the same material as the container body, preferably of lightweight molded plastic. The container body and lid may be manufactured from a single mold therefore lowering production costs. Of course, the dispensing container may be manufactured by other known methods.

The lid may be mounted onto the upper edge of the rear wall of the container body. The lid is preferably attached to the upper edge of the rear wall of the container body by a hinge (not shown) or the like. The lid opens from the front of the dispensing container as shown in FIGS. 1, 12, and 14. When deployed in the open position, the bridge 16 or 116 seated in the upper open end 22 of the container body is exposed (See FIGS. 1, 12 and 14). The lid may include an internal bead (not shown) or the like at a lower edge thereof for snap fit connection with a lip 37 (FIG. 2) in an upper portion of the container body in order to securely close the lid. In this regard, the lid includes a lower edge retained in mating and sealing relation to the top of the container body to keep the wipes from drying out. When the lid is closed as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 13, the dispenser container 10 appears as a substantially seamless container and has a substantially thin profile. As such, the dispensing container may easily be stored and transported where space is at a premium.

As shown best in FIGS. 7-9, the bridge 16 of a first configuration may be substantially C-shaped. The bridge includes a generally rectangular central portion 38 between first and second ends 40 and 42 oriented downward to the central portion when fitted into the open end of the container body. The central section 38 defines the dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m. The bridge 16 may be press fit into the upper open end of the container body 12. The bridge may be held in place at the inboard sides of the walls at the upper portion of the container body 12. For example, the bridge may span between the front and rear walls of the container body or between the two sidewalls 30. The bridge 16 is removably mounted to permit access to the interior of the container body 12. This improved feature is helpful to access a wipe within the container body (i.e. a wipe not drawn through the dispensing aperture or to refill the container body with a stack of wipes). Alternatively, the bridge 16 is sized to define a finger gap between the bridge and the walls at the upper portion of the container body for the user to insert a finger and grab onto the leading edge of a wipe within the container body. The bridge 16 is thus easily removed to permit access to and replacement of the stack of wipes.

The central section of the bridge defines the dispensing aperture. The edges of the aperture 18 a-18 mmay be smooth so that neither the wipe nor the user's finger may be caught when drawing the wipe from the dispensing container. The dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m may be formed in any number of configurations, as exemplified by those shown in corresponding FIGS. 6 a-6 m. The dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m may be sized and shaped to accommodate differences in the wipe material. For example, each of the dispensing aperture configurations shown in FIGS. 6 a-6 m were pull tested for dispensing hydrospun, spunlace, thermobond, air laid and needlepunched wipes. The results of the pull test are set forth below: Needle- FIGURE No. Hydrospun Spunlace Thermobond Airlaid punch 6a Failed Failed Failed Failed Passing 6b Passing Best Passing Best Passing 6c Passing Failed Passing Passing Passing 6d Passing Failed Best Passing Passing 6e Failed Failed Failed Failed Passing 6f Failed Failed Failed Passing Failed 6g Passing Failed Failed Passing Best 6h Passing Passing Passing Passing Passing 6i Failed Failed Failed Passing Failed 6j Passing Passing Passing Passing Passing 6k Passing Failed Failed Passing Best 6l Failed Failed Failed Failed Passing 6m Best Passing Passing Passing Passing

A “failed” grade indicates that the wipe tore while being dispensed. The air laid materials tend to tear easily and thus may be combined with a larger dispensing aperture. Other Non-woven wipes are more resistant to tearing and thus a smaller dispensing aperture may be used.

In an alternative configuration for the bridge as shown in FIGS. 10-15, the bridge 116 may be comprised of a substantially rectangular box-like body which has a substantially horizontal top wall 150, a front wall 152, a vertical back wall 154, a pair of vertical sides 156 and an open bottom defining a cavity for receiving edges of the stack of wipes 13. The front wall 152 curves outwardly and downwardly from the top wall 150 to the lower edge of the front wall 152. The juncture between the top wall and the front wall defines a beveled angle 160. Surrounding the open bottom at the lower edge of the box-like body is a mounting flange 162, for purposes as described hereinafter.

The depth of the bridge 116 is slightly less than the depth of the container body 12. The width of the bridge 116 is slightly less than the width of the container body 12. This sizing permits the lid to seal in a substantially flush position with the container body. The mounting flange 162 abuts the upper edges of the walls of the container body 12 to substantially cover the open end of the container body 12. The front wall 152 of the bridge 116 faces the front of the container body 12 when fitted on the open ended mouth of the container body. The mounting flange 162 substantially prevents the bridge 116 from slipping into the container body 12.

The front wall 152 of the bridge 116 includes a finger opening 119 which extends and narrows into a substantially V-shaped channel 164 which traverses the beveled angle 160 before extending into the top wall 150 to define the dispensing aperture 118 oriented in a direction perpendicular to the finger opening in the front wall. As shown in FIGS. 10-15, the finger opening 119 in the front wall 152 may be substantially oblong, although other shapes may be used within the confines of the invention. The finger opening 119 allows the user's fingers to reach the stack of wipes 158 as hereinafter described. The dispensing aperture 118 in the top wall of the bridge 116 is shown as a substantially narrow slot through which a wipe is dispensed. Other shapes and sizes for the dispensing aperture and for the channel may be contemplated within the confines of the invention. The finger opening should be sized to permit finger access while narrowing through the channel and dispensing aperture. The bridge 116 protrudes above the top of the container body 12 in a manner such that the finger opening 119 in the front wall 152 of the bridge 116 is not obstructed. It is of course possible to make the front wall 152 of the container body 12 shorter and set the bridge 116 further down into the container body 12, so long as the finger opening 119 is not obstructed and the user is provided access to the wipes 158 through the finger opening 119.

Although C-shaped and box-shaped bridges have been described and shown, bridges of other shapes may be used within the confines of the invention. Such other bridges preferably may include a front wall and a top wall with a finger opening in the front wall extending to a narrowed dispensing aperture in the top wall (e.g. an L-shaped bridge). The wipe may be channeled from the finger opening to the narrowed dispensing aperture in the top wall for dispensing.

The container body 12 may also include a spring device 20 including a spring element in the form of a leaf spring as shown in FIG. 2. The leaf spring biases the wipes toward one wall of the container body and toward the upper end of the container body. The leaf spring substantially retains the vertically-placed wipes in an upright fixed position to help dispense one wipe at a time. The leaf spring has a fixed end 44 and a floating end 46. The fixed end 44 may be attached to the inside bottom wall 24 of the container body 12 with the floating end 46 toward the open end of the dispensing container as shown in FIG. 2.

When the lid 14 is pivoted closed on the open end of the container body 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 , 4, and 13, the dispensing container 10 appears substantially seamless with a substantially thin profile to provide a consistent shape and excellent surface finish. The smooth, contoured arched shape of the dispensing container 10 enables substantially easy and economical storage and transport.

The stack of non-interfolded or interfolded wipes 13 may be placed directly into the container body 12 as shown in FIG. 15. The longitudinal axis of the stack runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container body. As shown in FIGS. 16-18, the wipes can generally be described as having two opposing planar faces and edges surrounding the perimeter of the faces. The stack of wipes 13 is loaded vertically into the container body, so that the wipes are loaded on their edge with the planar faces of the wipes facing the front and back walls of the container body. The stack of wipes 13 may be oriented in a direction such that the planar surface and a leading edge 158 of the wipes faces the front of the container body (See FIG. 15). When fully loaded with wipes, the pressure on the wipes will force the uppermost edge of the wipes at the front of the container to fan or pivot forward, presenting the leading edge 158 of the wipe that can be easily reached by the user through the finger opening 119 in the bridge (See FIG. 14). The user can then channel the wipe through the substantially V-shaped channel 164 into the dispensing aperture 118 to be withdrawn by the user from the dispensing container. This also permits the user to remove the individual wipe from the edge of the stack 158 by grasping an edge of a wipe rather than grasping the middle of the planar surface of the wipe. Once an interfolded wipe is dispensed, a second interfolded wipe pops up through the dispensing aperture 118. In contrast to prior art dispensing containers and methods, the wipe is peeled or slid away from the rest of the stack as shown in FIG. 18, rather than unleaving the wipe as in other containers and methods. The front wipe is pulled at the leading edge 158 of the wipe in a direction parallel to the direction of the wipe. This makes it easier to dispense one wipe at a time. Depending on the fold pattern of the wipes, the bridge permits a single wipe at a time to dispense with the next wipe's tail trailing or the bridge may be rethreaded for each use.

In use, the lid 14 may be flipped open by the user to expose the wipe drawn through the dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m in the bridge 16 or through the dispensing aperture 118 in the bridge 116. If the wipe is not exposed, the user may either grasp one of the wipes through one of the finger openings on either side of the bridge 16, through the finger opening 119 of bridge 116, or temporarily remove the bridge 16 or 116 to gain access to the interior of the dispensing container. Similarly, when the dispensing container is empty of wipes, it may be refilled by removing the bridge 16 or 116, inserting the refill stack of wipes 13, and replacing the bridge 16 or 116 followed by drawing of the wipe through the dispensing aperture 18 a-18 m or 118, respectively. Once the wipe has been removed, the lid 14 may be securely snapped closed to conveniently store or transport the wipe dispensing container until its next use. The wipe may be dispensed whether the container is positioned horizontally or vertically on a surface or within a drawer.

From the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the above-described container is substantially thin profile, attractive and very space-efficient, and effective at dispensing wipes. By dispensing the wipe in a direction parallel to the direction of the wipe and from the edge or end of the stack of wipes, dispensing becomes easier and more convenient than having to hold onto the container and lifting a wipe from the top of the stack. In addition, the chaining issue associated with the prior art containers has been substantially eliminated so that the inadvertent dispensing of more than one wipe at a time is substantially prevented. The dropping/trapping problem also associated with canisters has also been substantially eliminated.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims. 

1. A wipe dispensing container, comprising: an upright container body; a lid for the upright container body, having a seal member thereon for mating with a lip in the upright container body when the lid is in a closed position; and a bridge removably mounted in an open mouth of said upright container body and defining at least one dispensing aperture and at least one finger opening.
 2. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein said wipe dispensing container has a substantially thin profile.
 3. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the upright container body includes a bottom wall, upstanding front and rear walls, and two sidewalls to define the open mouth.
 4. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, wherein the bridge is substantially C-shaped and sized to define the at least one finger opening between the bridge and the walls of the upright container body.
 5. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a top wall, front wall, back wall and sidewalls with the finger opening in the front wall extending into the dispensing aperture in the top wall.
 6. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the bridge is substantially box-shaped.
 7. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the finger opening in the front wall extends into the dispensing aperture in the top wall through a substantially V-shaped channel.
 8. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the dispensing aperture is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the finger opening.
 9. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, wherein the front wall of the upright container body is shorter than the rear wall thereof with the two sidewalls angled upwardly toward the rear wall thereof to provide an angled open mouth.
 10. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, further comprising a spring device within the upright container body for maintaining a stack of wipes in a substantially upright position within the interior of the upright container body.
 11. The wipe dispensing container of claim 10, wherein the spring device extends along the vertical axis of the upright container body.
 12. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the stack of wipes is fitted in a vertical axis of the upright container body to permit dispensing one of the wipes from the edge of the stack of wipes.
 13. A wipe dispensing container, comprising: an upright and relatively thin profile container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls defining an open mouth, and a removable bridge in said open mouth and defining a dispensing aperture and finger opening; a lid mounted to the container body and including an internal bead for snap fit connection with the container body in a substantially flush position relative to the container body.
 14. The wipe dispensing container of claim 13, wherein the stack of wipes is positioned along the vertical axis of the upright and relatively thin profile container body to permit dispensing one of the wipes from the edge of the stack of wipes.
 15. The wipe dispensing container of claim 13, wherein the bridge comprises a top wall, front wall, back wall and sidewalls with the finger opening in the front wall extending into the dispensing aperture in the top wall.
 16. The wipe dispensing container of claim 15, wherein the bridge is substantially box-shaped.
 17. The wipe dispensing container of claim 15, wherein the finger opening in the front wall extends into the dispensing aperture in the top wall through a substantially V-shaped channel.
 18. A method of dispensing at least one wipe from a wipe dispenser, comprising the steps of: Opening a lid on the wipe dispenser; Drawing the at least one wipe through a dispensing aperture defined in a bridge in an open mouth of the wipe dispenser; Closing the lid on the wipe dispenser such that the lid is substantially flush with the upper portion of the container body; Repeating said opening, drawing, and closing steps until substantially all of the at least one wipe within the wipe dispenser are depleted; Removing the bridge and replacing the at least one wipe; and Replacing the bridge and closing the lid.
 19. A wipe dispensing container for dispensing wipes from the top of the wipe dispensing container, comprising: an upright and relatively thin profile container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls defining an open mouth and a substantially rectangular profile, with the front wall shorter than the rear wall with the upper edges of the sidewalls extending angularly upwardly toward the rear wall; a lid mounted to the container body and including an internal bead for snap fit connection with the container body in a substantially flush position relative to the container body when the lid is in a closed position; and a bridge mounted on the open mouth of the upright and relatively thin profile container body.
 20. A wipe dispensing container, comprising a container body cooperating with a lid when in a closed position to define an upright relatively thin profile and substantially seamless wipe dispensing container having a substantially rectangular profile, the container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls with the sidewalls narrower than the front and rear walls and the lid mounted to the container body and that when opened, a dispensing aperture is revealed in a bridge removably mounted at the top of the container body. 